When one of your email recipients clicks your unsubscribe button, you have one chance to thwart their unsubscribe. A great way to do that is by using an email preference center.

An email preference center allows your subscribers to choose the email content and frequency that suits them best. And yes, the option to unsubscribe. Your subscribers want to be in control, so why not give them the power to do so?  

You work hard to keep your subscribers engaged, that is why unsubscribes feel like a gut-punch. The trick to soften the blow, is to create a preference center that allows people to decide for themselves how they want your brand to interact with them. According to Campaign Monitor, only 30% of business marketers allow subscribers to decide how often they want to be emailed.  

But how do you develop one that actually works and is used? Here are ways to create a strong preference center:

Email Topics or Category Selection

Your subscribers have the option to choose what type of emails they’d like to receive. By doing so, you ensure that your emails are not being ignored because your subscribers are finding ones that meet their requests.  

Possible email categories are:

• Newsletters
• Product updates
• Events
• Webinars
• Analyst reports
• Special offers

Even if your subscriber chooses only one type of email to receive, it’s still a win-win because they are retained for your content. Another benefit here is that your subscribers will self-segment themselves to provide better insight to their interests.  

Just remember - if you’re going to use this option, you need to abide by it in your email sends, otherwise, what’s the point?

Snooze Options

A snooze feature in your unsubscribe form allows your subscribers to temporarily mute your emails for a desired time. Allow people to select a “snooze me” button to give them a break from your content without losing them forever by opting out. Offering the option creates a positive experience and could lower your unsubscribe rate.

Some possible snooze options are 15 days, 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days. Tactically, you can do this by setting people who choose snooze as “marketing suspended” in your database for the time period they choose.

Unsubscribe Reason

It’s disheartening when someone unsubscribes from your emails, but at the end of the day, you are trying to weed out people who are not a fit for your business, so you can pinpoint those that are a fit.  

Take advantage of every opportunity to capture feedback from your subscribers, even if it’s their last one. It is important to know why someone has chosen not to receive your emails anymore.  

Was it something you did to turn them off, like too many emails? Are your emails not relevant to your subscriber base? Here’s a better way to understand your audience and help you expand your offerings for engagement.  

On the unsubscribe form, add a field for the unsubscribe reason where people have the option to select their cause. This can also help with your email marketing strategy in the future.

Possible unsubscribe reasons that are suitable for the form are:

• I’m receiving too many emails
• I don’t recall signing up for these emails
• I am no longer interested in the content
• Privacy concerns
• Other (text field where people can input their reasoning)

Conclusion

Email preference centers aid in keeping hard-earned subscribers satisfied by delivering content catered to their interests. Not only can you help defend against unsubscribes, but also acquire better insights on how to best approach your subscribers, and ultimately turn them into sales. An email preference center is a valuable tool for every marketer. Make sure you are taking steps to understand your brand’s user experience and creating a win-win situation.